Bravos All Around

Bravo.

Bravo to the Los Angeles Philharmonic for its choice of Esa-Pekka Salonen as its new music director. And bravo to the 31-year-old Finnish conductor and composer himself--not only for his vibrant exploration of the standard repertory, but also for his courageous advocacy of this century’s music.

Since making his American debut here in 1984, Salonen has become a favorite of both local audiences and the Philharmonic’s musicians. Equally important, he enjoys the sympathetic confidence of Ernest Fleischmann, the orchestra’s formidable executive vice president. In a world where even the artistically diligent conductor is a multinational commodity--Salonen’s contract calls for 16 weeks residency in Los Angeles--the full and friendly collaboration of musical director and orchestral administrator is all but indispensable.

Those fortunate enough to have heard Salonen conduct the Philharmonic, particularly in a performance of Witold Lutoslawski’s Third Symphony, would agree with Times Music Critic Martin Bernheimer’s description of the young Finn as “immensely gifted, compellingly theatrical, strikingly versatile and undeniably attractive.”

In Salonen and its principal guest conductor, Simon Rattle, the brilliant young Briton, the Philharmonic now has secured for Los Angeles both of the world’s leading young maestros. The new music director himself best expressed the promise inherent in that fact on Monday: “There must be a constant analysis of the orchestra’s role in society and to follow what is happening in all the arts,” he said. “An orchestra ideally provokes and fulfills spiritual needs.”